1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rack and pinion steering gear housing mounting structure for an automotive vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a rack and pinion steering gear as shown in FIG. 1 comprises a rack 1 passing through a steering gear housing 2 which supports therein a steering pinion shaft 3 perpendicular to the rack 1. The steering pinion shaft 3 is provided thereon with a pinion (not shown) which is adapted to be in mesh with the rack 1 within the housing 2. To one end of the steering pinion shaft 3 is connected through a universal coupling a steering shaft (not shown) which is provided thereon with a steering wheel. By rotatively operating the steering wheel the rack 1 is caused to move in its axial directions. To both ends (only one end shown in the drawing) of the rack 1 are connected side rods 5 through joints 4, to which are further connected steering knuckles 7 through joints 6 for steering wheels of a vehicle. A dust cover 8 covers the joint 4 and the part of the rack 1.
The rack 1 slidably extends in a rack tube 10 having one end press fitted in a housing mounting portion 9 of the steering gear housing 2. The housing mounting portion 9 is supported through an insulator 13 on a mounting side support bracket 12 fixed to a vehicle frame cross member 11 (FIG. 2) and restrained against the support bracket 12 by a clamp plate 14 firmly fixed thereto by means of bolts 15 and nuts 16. On the rack tube 10 are mounted mounting plates 17 at other mounting portions spaced apart by a suitable distance, between which is interposed a mounting rubber 18. The mounting plates 17 are then fixed onto a support bracket fixed to the vehicle frame cross member 11 by a clamp plate 19 in the same manner as above described.
In the above rack and pinion steering gear, the steering gear housing has been positioned and fixed in accordance with a mounted angle of the steering pinion shaft determined by its positional relation to the steering shaft. Therefore, the housing mounting portion 9 is formed in square or lozenge in outer crosssectional configuration to provide flat surfaces 20, and the support bracket 12 and clamp plate 14 are formed with flat surfaces 21 and 22 corresponding to those 20 of the housing mounting portion 9 as shown in FIG. 2, thereby positioning and fixing the steering gear housing with the aid of these flat surfaces.
With such a hitherto used housing mounting structure, however, every time the mounting angle of the steering gears is changed, it would be necessary to modify the configuration of the housing of the configuration or structure of the support bracket on the vehicle frame side, which is very troublesome.